The One Who Hears Them
by Aoi Dragon
Summary: He's heard voices his entire life and holds power no human should have. One Shot.


Aoi Dragon: I just finished watching the series, and I couldn't get this idea out of my head. It's not perfect, but it is - after all - only an idea. Maybe a fan will expand upon it. :D Enjoy and R&R!

Naru sat in his office chair. He looked like he was reading through data while everyone else was chatting about the case they had just solved, but he wasn't. He was listening. He had always heard faint voices, communicating with each other in the back of his mind, but with Lin's help and a lot of training, they had subsided. Now, the voices were sometimes deafening, talking about some stupid Americans - Winchesters - and sometimes about a girl named Anna, though that had been short lived. The voices only cared about the Winchesters now and getting them to say "yes." Yes to what, he had no idea.

"What do you think Naru?" Mai asked, bringing him out of his reverie.

The manager of Shibuya Psychic Research looked up into the eyes of the girl who had caught his eye. She was blossoming into a powerful psychic, focused on astral projection and precognition. He had been in her visions, guiding her; it was the only place where he felt like he could be more like himself, and the only place where the voices were quiet.

Naru set down the data, "It was obviously quite simple. It didn't even take us a day to rid the house of the ghost." Still, though, something worried him about that case. It _HAD_ been too easy. Naru hadn't told his team - not even Lin knew - but he had found traces of sulfur in that house. He hadn't wanted his team involved - they would have been easily killed. Sulfur only meant one thing: demon. He didn't want anyone to face those things.

He stood, closing his book, "I need to leave."

"What? Naru!" Mai protested and followed him.

Looking back over his shoulder, Naru saw the concern in his friends' faces. Friends. He never thought he'd have those, but here they were, loyal friends. His eyes flicked to each face and then back to Mai, "There's something I need to do. Lin, look after them while I'm gone." With that, he slipped out the door.

Once it was shut, he could hear Mai yelling at it, "Of all the stupid things! How can he just DO that and run off?" It was the same rant she had done many times before, speaking of his gigantic ego and his silent personality.

Naru closed his eyes, wishing the voices would just go away. He made his way out of the building and outside to catch a taxi cab back to the house. There was only one way to get rid of a demon. He had to use his power.

The voices had investigated him after he had used it to destroy a god, but Lin had somehow protected him and driven them away while Naru had been unconscious. Lin never told him how, and Naru didn't really care. The voices had left him alone for a while after that. It had been the quietest his mind had ever been until those Anna and the Winchesters came up on their radar.

"Naru." He turned when he heard Lin's voice, "You can't do it. They'll come back, and this time I don't think I'll be able to hold them off. There was only one last time, but with how you've been acting - Don't do it."

"I have to. It's the only way to free those people from the demon." Naru replied. He was impressed that Lin could figure out everything so easily yet not give a single hint that he knew.

Lin stared at his boss, "They might come in greater numbers, and I don't think you'll be able to fight them. I only got the one to leave because he had a charge elsewhere and got new orders." Lin paused, "I don't know what he was, but the _power_ in him. I couldn't match that and neither can you."

"So I should just let those people continue to suffer?" Naru bit back, "No, I can't allow that to happen."

Lin sighed, "At least let someone come with you. You shouldn't do this alone."

"They'll be in danger. Even you would be in danger of a demonic possession. There's no defense for -" Naru stopped short and his eyes went wide.

_ He can hear us. He is a danger, just like Anna. He must die._

_ You can't just kill him. He doesn't know what he is._

_ I am your superior. You will do as I say. Kill him or be cast out._

_ Then I will be cast out. You tried to kill me once before and Father brought me back. What does that say about what you did?_

_ You insolent little cretin! If you do not kill the boy, I will kill the Winchesters myself and bring back their empty, soulless bodies so that our brothers can finally end this little world like Father promised._

_ I cannot believe that that's what Father would have wanted._

_ GET BACK HERE! ... You will face the consequences of your actions. I hereby cast you out. You are cut off from your home now and forever._

Naru blinked. He was on the ground and Lin hovered over him. His friends had come out of the building and were gathered around him as well. "What happened?" Lin asked softly.

Naru cleared his expression, "Nothing."

"That was not nothing!" Mai exclaimed, "You were glowing! The last time that happened, you destroyed a god! So what happened?"

He almost smiled at her, but kept his face neutral. Naru looked to Lin, "Someone's been ordered to kill me. He refused and was cast out." He slowly stood, "Someone is looking for me."

"Why?" Takigawa asked, "What so special about you?"

"It's not important." Naru shrugged it off.

"Of course it's important!" Ayako exclaimed, "If someone's out to kill you, we want to know who!"

Masako suddenly startled, "What the..."

"What is it Masako?" Mai asked.

The medium was blinking rapidly toward someone across the street. Everyone turned to look. It was a man with tousled brown hair and very clear blue eyes. He wore a disheveled suit and a tan overcoat. He looked very American.

"Who's that?" Mai asked quietly, "Where did he come from?"

The man seemed to be searching and when his eyes landed on the group, he just... vanished. Masako gasped again, "He's so bright - like a comet or blazing sun bursting from that body, burning everything it touches. It's barely contained, and those wings..."

"So you can see the beyond," A gravelly voice said in perfect Japanese, "I haven't encountered one of your kind in a long time."

Everyone turned to see that the American man stood behind them. "How did you get back there?" Takigawa asked, going on the defensive.

"I am here to protect the one who can hear us." The man said simply, and his gaze fell on Naru, "He is in grave danger."

"Who are you?" John asked, his holy water ready.

The American looked down at the exorcist, "You are very brave to take on the darkness alone. There is a special place for people like you in heaven." John was taken aback a little, "The holy water will be of no help to you. I am no demon." Light seemed to shine directly on him, creating a shadow against the building - a shadow with wings, "I am Castiel and I am an Angel of the Lord." Everyone stood there in shock for a few moments until the shadow faded and everything seemed to return to normal.

"Why are you here for Naru?" Mai demanded, her voice trembling.

Castiel tilted his head to the side, "He can hear my brothers communicating. I have only encountered this once before."

"Anna." Naru said softly.

"That is correct." Castiel took a step toward the manager of Shibuya Psychic Research, "Although she was born a human, she was not human at all. And neither are you. Your power stems from something much greater than yourself. Though it is not contained within you, it is close by. That is why you can still use it to summon a small imitation of your true sword."

"If I'm not human, what am I?" Naru asked.

"You are one of the Fallen. An angel cast out of Heaven for disobedience - like myself and Anna." Castiel explained. "Father has been absent from Heaven for a long time. I suspect He has been living with humans this whole time, but my efforts to find him have been fruitless."

"What do you mean gone?" John asked.

Castiel turned to him, "Do not worry. He still exists. He has people who do His work every day, including you and your friends."

"Then why do the angels want to kill Naru?" Ayako asked, "He's human now."

"Things have gotten bad since Father left. The angels have split over their views on Father's word. Many, including Raphael and Michael, want the apocalypse to happen right now."

"WHAT!" Almost everyone exclaimed.

"If it weren't for the Winchesters' refusal to say yes to Michael and Lucifer, we would not be here right now." Castiel informed them.

"Who's side are you on?" Masako asked softly, "You must have chosen a side."

"I have been reminded again and again that this is not a two-sided war." Castiel said, a slight look of nostalgia flitting across his face, "I am not on the side of the angels, since I do not want the world to end. Nor am I on the side of Lucifer, who wants to rule the world. No, I have sided with the humans and my friends. Father said we should cherish and protect humans. My brothers are no longer doing that, and I am certain they are wrong. That is why I must protect your friend from them and from Lucifer." The angel paused, "It is of course his decision as to what he is going to do."

"What are his options?" Mai asked.

"He could come with me to a safe place." Castiel began, "A place where neither angels nor demons could find him. However, he would be cut off from most of the rest of the world. He could also search for his grace and regain his full power as an angel." He paused, "The last option is most likely the least appealing: he could choose death."

"No way!" Mai exclaimed and the others were not far behind in agreeing with her.

"He said it was my choice, Mai." Naru said softly.

"Well, then, what are you going to do?" Ayako asked.

Naru thought deeply for a few moments before replying.


End file.
